Petition on Haulbowline Toxic Dump Submitted to European Parliament by Sean Kelly MEP

Sean Kelly MEP today submitted a petition to a powerful European Parliament Committee regarding the toxic dump at Haulbowline Island Cork Harbour. Sean Kelly MEP committed to submitting the petition following on from a public meeting in Cobh last month organised by the Cork Harbour Health pressure group who have collected over 5,500 petition signatures. “It is time that the Irish Authorities stop passing the buck on Haulbowline. This toxic dump is not licensed and this has been the case for ten years. “In 2005, Ireland was held to be in breach of the EU Waste Management Directive All landfills are required to be licensed under European Law. There are no exceptions. “Five years later, there is still no action in Haulbowline, therefore I have decided to bring the case to Europe. “The National Cancer Registry of Ireland has proven that there is a 37% higher rate of cancer in Cobh than the national average. “It is vital that a baseline health study is conducted in the Cork Harbour area to prove if there is a link or not between Chromium VI and other toxic metals found on Haulbowline Island and the alarming cancer rate in Cobh. “It is very well documented that Chromium VI causes cancer. The Irish State has full responsibility for the site. “The inhabitants of the Cork Harbour area deserve to know if there is a link between the high cancer rates and the leaching toxins from the site.

“I have submitted this petition on behalf of the people of Cobh and the Cork Harbour area. I look forward to the hearing of the Petition in the coming months, where it is my hope that the Irish authorities can finally be forced to tackle this problem”, he concluded.